The Yule before Halloween
by Jade.Darkmoon
Summary: It's Christmas again and Jack pays a visit to his friends in Christmas Town. Little does he know the influence he holds over little Holly who takes this inspiration a little too far. Possibly JackxOC, but pending for now. Rated T for future chapters.
1. The Mischief Begins

Hello and welcome, it's Jade.Darkmoon here, Jade for short and writer of this fic. First and foremost, I do not own The Nightmare before Christmas. I do own Holly and the plotline, so if you use her or the story in any shape, way or form, give me credit. I did strain my noodle on this. Also, please review and/or rate, your suggestions help me to better my writing, and suggestions for storyline could show up in later chapters! So go ahead and "what-if" away. This is my first fic written, and first fic published, so please don't bite my head off, but as before stated, constructive criticism helps.

**The Yule before Halloween**

Once upon a busy Christmas eve, the elves of the North Pole were rushing about, gathering presents together and loading them into the bag atop the mighty red sleigh. As the elves continued their labor, Santa made the last checks on the reindeer. Finding all said and done with that, he turned to his trusted companion, "Ah, Prancer. It seems a perfect night to deliver the presents to all those good little boys and girls. It's such a nice winter sky, don't you think so?"  
Prancer, the great beast with elegant antlers and arched head gave a nod and a soft bellow in agreement. Pawing the ground, he lifted his head to the sky, anxious for things to commence.  
Santa let out one of his famous merry chuckles and glanced about, noting that the last preparations were nearly done. Signaling to all that they should gather, he let the last few things finish and everyone gather around him before he cleared his throat and merrily preceded to speak, "I would like to thank you all for the hard work you have put forth for this year's Christmas. You have all worked hard and persevered, struggled, and finally come together to create presents of unprecedented quality this year. As you all know..."

A younger elf in the middle of the crowd covered her mouth with a hand and yawned. With a small sigh she thought to herself, "He always does this dumb monologue when he could be delivering the presents, and in the end he finds some way to turn around all the honor for himself and makes us, the ones who do all the work seem like mere servants, when in fact he is merely the delivery guy! He doesn't even manage his own reindeer for blizzard's sake! He merely checks off the kids on the list and leaves all the other managing to Mrs.Clause. She's the real wonder here. Sure, he can squeeze himself into tight places despite being very fat, but my uncle Iggy can do the same thing! Then again when angry husbands find out he's been sleeping with their wives, there probably isn't too many other escape routes. Jeez, when is the guy going to stop talking? He's been talking non-stop for how long?And when all we really wanna do is go home and take a much needed rest before we have to come back to work tomorrow. Oh, this sounds like the end, I might as well hear what the old sack of wind has to say." With sigh, she folded her arms and paid attention to the fat man in the red suit.

"...and without you I don't know what would go on here, but it certainly wouldn't be Christmas. Now if you all would like, I'm sure that Mrs.Clause has a nice pot of eggnog on the fire at home, go ahead and take some for yourselves. I shall be off now, farewell and Merry Christmas everyone!" With these last words, Santa jumped into the sleigh and cracked the whip over the back of the reindeer and took off like a flash, zooming off to deliver the presents that had been entrusted to him.

Back with the young elf, she followed everyone to the giant cauldron of eggnog steaming in front of the Clause house. Mrs.Clause called everyone to take their fill of eggnog, for she surely has had enough to last a lifetime and slipped into the house. The elf gave a smirk as she watched a familiar shadow cling to Mrs.Clause's skirt and slip in with her. With a small wicked smirk, she muttered, "Ah, just as expected... Uncle Iggy is up to his old mischief again." Taking a glass of eggnog, she raised her cup, and did the only vocal thing she ever did out loud. "A toast! To Mrs.Clause! For bringing happiness to those far away, and very near." Everyone raised their glasses in reply and a loud clattering could be heard for miles at everyone's enthusiasm. Smirking at the innuendo that she slipped into the toast, she sipped her eggnog. Only scant moments later, she could hear her name being called over the immense hubbub, which was all the elves in their celebration of their night of freedom. "Holly, Holly! Are you going to do your usual this Christmas? Or are you actually going to be social and join us for the present opening?"  
With a sigh, Holly turned around, her red hair blowing in the wind across her cheeks. "Yes Jeffrey, I am going to do my usual, and what is wrong with wanting a little privacy in this place? All year long we're crowded into tiny little areas, being forced to do work even 3rd world countries wouldn't even settle for, and all for no pay? If I just want a little piece and quiet for my x-mas, is that so wrong?"  
Jeffrey's eyes widened at the words that came out of Holly's mouth. "How can you say things like that? We make the presents so everyone can be happy, we need no pay! And it's not all that bad being surrounded by people who care and love you? Can't you get that?"  
Covering her face with a hand Holly gave an exasperated sigh, "I suppose you will never understand, just like everyone else. Well, I'm going to enjoy what evening I have left. Merry x-mas I guess." With a wave of a hand, she turned around and started plowing her feet through the snow to the one quiet place left in this area. As she slid past the great gates, she glanced up at the metal letters reading "Cemetery" and gave a sigh of happiness. "Everyone, I'm back." She called, pleasure in her voice audible. Swiping snow off a nearby bench, she stooped and plopped herself down. "If only there was a place that I could be alone, and yet people would understand me. I'm sure that as long as I'm enslaved here, I'll never get that satisfaction." Leaning to the side, she fell over onto the other side of the bench, resting her cheek on the cold, wet bench. "After all, even sometimes this graveyard isn't quiet enough."  
Just then she heard something crunching through the snow behind her, the sound was somehow eerie enough to send shivers down her spine and the hair on her neck rise. As she slowly turned around she saw a long lanky figure outlined by the snow behind him. A man made of bones stood from just inside an open tomb. With a tug on his bat-tie and brushing off his black pinstriped suit, he looked around, immediately spotting Holly. "Why hello there, I didn't think that Sandy Claws would have known to send a welcome greeter for my arrival. I didn't think he was expecting me at all."  
Holly couldn't help but stare. The man who's stature was entirely of bone blinked and looked at her back. As she watched the hollows of his eye sockets and his jaw and mouth move, she was sure that there could be no other explanation. "You are the J-jack Skellington I have heard so much about?" She quietly asked, feeling the fear knead itself out now that she knew he wasn't here to eat her. "You would have to be right, Santa didn't know you were coming. In fact he's already left to deliver the presents." Hoping that he was all that the stories said he was, she watched Jack expectantly. Thinking to herself, _why was Sally the lucky woman to get him? He's quite a catch._ After her initial shock wore off, she noticed how gracefully his hands gestured as he spoke, with great diction he chose his words. He was obviously an educated curious man. _Well, if I can't have him, I shall do the next best thing... admire him. That shall do. What was that saying? If you can't beat them, join them? Oh, that won't do at all. Perhaps if I switch the wording? If you can't join them... oooh, I like the sound of that._ With a small mischievous grin, she looked back up at Jack. "Perhaps I should take you to where everyone is celebrating. I'm sure that a celebrity such as you would be more than welcome."  
"Oh no." Jack hastily declined, "I think it best I not get too caught up in the cheer. You remember what happened last time don't you?"  
Holly's eyes lit up. "I'm not sure I know the story correctly, could you tell me?"  
With a sigh, Jack shook his head. "I simply got so excited by Christmas that I ended up forcing everyone to let me do their job, and so I messed up Christmas."  
Holly patted the man's bone shoulder. "I don't think it was as bad as you make it sound. I thought it was a nice change of pace myself."  
With a small smile, Jack patted her hand with his own skeletal one. "Thanks for the kindness, but I did mess everything up. But that's in the past, I still have to get back so we can properly celebrate Christmas there. Well, ta ta." With a small salute, he gracefully hopped into the same tomb he popped out of, and disappeared with a slam as the doors of the tomb shut. Holding her chest from the alarm the clatter of the door made she smiled happily.

Allowing herself to drift back to the dorms where the rest of the elves were merrily celebrating, Holly simply slipped past all the ruckus and almost shadow-like, drifted into her bunk without notice. The only sound she emitted was that of a content sigh as she curled under her covers, letting her mind drift off. "If only more christmases ended like this... I could possibly grow content with the whole thing..." she muttered, slipping off into her very own dreamland.


	2. A Little Accident

Hello once again! I do not own The Nightmare before Christmas. I do own Holly and the plotline, so if you use her or the story in any shape, way or form, give me credit. Now that that's over, I'd like the thank the one person who reviewed my story. Thank you so much Kalaia! It may have been one word, but it's my first review ever and it made me happy. I was going to wait to post this chapter later but... I was bored. And so, I hope you enjoy the second chapter of my story!

Chapter 2

A few months after Christmas was over, production of next year's toys were going so smoothly, that the elves were allowed a little time off at the end of the day. No one knew why things were working so well, no one but a certain elf... of course she wasn't letting anyone catch wind that "Holly No-Cheer" was improving the machines even if it was for her own benefit. Day after day she would carefully sneak into the workrooms during break time and add a little oil and tweak with wires and bolts, until exactly three months had passed since Christmas and already they were a third of their quota ahead of schedule.

A small smirk spread across rose-red lips as Holly watched an excited Jeffery run up to her, "Holly, Holly! The bosses say that they're going to make a major announcement! Everyone's to come, hurry!" With a bored sigh and an inward smile, she took her time standing up. "Jeffery, why don't you calm down for once, I swear, if you stay as hyper as you are, you'll die early." The male elf's eyes widened in shock. "That's mean, you shouldn't say stuff like that, it could come true."

After making their way to the commotion, the two elves found a spot in the corner. Santa Clause stood on the top of a staircase, Mrs.Clause beside him, to his left. "Dear Elves, thank you again for all the work you have been putting forward. I can say that I've never seen you work so well or so fast as this year. I am quite impressed with all of you, and as thanks, me and the Misses would like for you to all have half the day off to do whatever you please. Why, if you keep working so well, we may have to put together a schedule so that you can have full days off!" A cheer went through the masses of elves, all joyously screaming their little heads off. Amongst those screaming the loudest, a hyperactive Jeffery was hopping up and down, Holly behind him with a very un-elf-like smile upon her face. An unnoticed movement and suddenly a series of screams issued from the front of the crowd. Jeffery's face was one of many drawn into an open-mouthed expression of horror. Dearest Santa Clause had somehow slipped and fallen down the steps, his leg sprawled in a sickeningly odd angle. Mrs.Clause pushed many well-meaning elves out of the way. "Make room, get the doctor! Please, just go..." A small sob issued from the woman known to be strong.

A tiny pang of guilt echoed in Holly's chest, but she brushed if off like lint. Gently bracing her arms on Jeffery's shoulders, she steered her saddened friend towards their dorm. "But, but ,but..." He whimpered, trying to escape Holly's grip. Placing a mask of sadness as her features, she shook her head at her overly-caring companion. "No Jeffery, you'd only be in the way. I'm sure he'll be fine, bones mend quite quickly." A flash of realization lit the male elf's face momentarily and his expression quickly changed back into one of concern. "Well, I guess you know bones as well as anyone." Holly's heartbeat quickened a pace before she remastered herself. Wait... I know Jeff's not stupid, but... did he just figure out that I? No, he couldn't have. Maybe he suspects, but he has no proof, no one does. I better just be a little more careful or my plans may not succeed. Letting go of her blond companion, she walked him back to the dorms, excusing herself to the bathroom.

The moment she left Jeffery's side, she made her way to her "planning office", an old abandoned tower where a workshop used to be. Ten years ago it had been the death for an elf when he slipped on a stair and into one of the candy-mixers. The whole batch had to be re-done and the elves morale had been terrible that year. Now all their factories are rectangular, no platforms above the mixers except for those cat-walks needed to maintain them. It had seemed the perfect place to start her plans for a new Halloween.

Pulling out a roll of parchment, as she favored that instead of the newer "sheets of paper". Dipping her pen in the well of ink, she began to scribble down a thought, shake her head, scratch it out, and repeat the process. "Think Holly, think. What did Jack do?" A few moments later, as she wrote a new thought, she heard something like stone sliding and peeked out of a window. In the snow below, Jack and an elf walked from thecemetery towards the main buildings. This is it! I can ask him myself! She rushed down the stairs with the grace of a cat, grabbing her fur-trimmed cloak, and zipping towards the pair out of a crack in the tower. She slowed her run to a light jog, regaining her composure. "Hello Jack, what are you doing here?" She said sweetly, a small true smile breaking from her mask.

"Oh, hello you. I saw you last Christmas correct?" She nodded as the Pumpkin King easily kept pace with the smaller escorts. "Sandy Claws asked that I come and keep an eye on you all for the time being. Until he's healed or so I was told. Do you know what happened?" His own curiosity with the gruesome wasn't out of place so Holly happily answered, "Oh, I..." and suddenly schooled her response for the 'ears' that listened into their conversation. "I saw Santa fall just a few hours ago. It was horrible, his leg was broken into a horrible position and I could tell that Mrs.Clause was sick with worry." Not understanding why the female elf changed her tone, Jack merely raised a bonyeye ridge keeping his thoughts to himself. "Well, he's going to be fine. It really doesn't take all that long for bones to knit. Oh, that's right. I almost forgot that you of Christmas town have to worry about things like muscles and sinew. Well, I' sure he'll heal up just fine regardless. Thank you for your insight...er," She let herfacade of sadness slip and turned her small smile towards the bony figure. "My name is Holly." The brunette beside them muttered, "Holly No-Cheer's more like it." Covering her words with an awfully fake cough. Jack looked at the small brunette, "That sounds like it could be contagious, oh how glorious. Well, thank you Holly. It looks like I'm going to be busy for a little while, but no worries, I can handle it." He gave a eerie laugh of delight, and turned to walk up the very steps where the large red man had fallen earlier. Watching Jack walk up the stairs, Holly quickly called out, "Jack?"

He glanced back down at her. "Yes?"

A shy smile peered upon the skeletal man, pale fingers play with poinsettia red hair, "I have some questions, could I possibly come have a chat with you sometime? That is after you've gotten settled."

A quick moment to think and Jack nodded, "I think that would be a fine thing. I must be off now." And he quickly disappeared into the doorway, vanishing from sight.

Holly ran back towards the tower, holding the slightly sad mask in place until she couldn't contain herself anymore. She barely reached the edge of the old tower's debris when a mad laughter echoed through the snowy terrain.


End file.
